Dead
by InuXKags
Summary: Years ago, a daughter of a wealthy family disappeared. Many thought that she was dead, but one hanyou doesn’t believe the rumor. How far will he go to prove that she’s still out there somewhere?
1. The Yearbook

**Author's Note: Yep, another story. I really like this idea because I only see people write about ghosts or something similar to that. I wanted to try out something new. I don't want to give away too much, but it's a romance and mystery kind of story. Please read and tell me what you think. Thanks!**

**The Yearbook**

"Wow," a girl breathed. "That's her?"

Currently, she was surrounded by her two guy friends, flipping through each page of their high school yearbook in the park.

On the second glossy page of the hardcover book, there was a photo of a beautiful, teenaged girl from ten years ago. She was the daughter of the wealthy family that owned Shikon High School, but she had disappeared immediately after the Homecoming football game. Every year, she always had the second page of the yearbook dedicated to her.

The girl, a demonslayer named Sango, stared in awe at the beauty of a young woman. The picture had the girl doing a casual pose, one hand on her hip. She was wearing a silver, glittery dress that ended at mid-thigh. A sweet smile spread over her pouting pink lips, and her skin was a healthy shade of peaches and cream. Her ebony locks gently waved to the middle of her back in attractive waves. Her most stunning feature were her hazel eyes. They held so many emotions in that gorgeous shade of chocolate. Even though she wasn't wearing one bit of makeup, she looked like an angel from heaven.

"Damn," both boys breathed in unison. They had to admit she was lovely.

"So, she was kidnapped or something?" Miroku, one of the guys, asked. He was a monk who didn't follow the traditional ways of one. His short black hair was pulled back into a small ponytail, which really brought out his fascinating violet eyes.

"I guess," Inuyasha, the male half demon, slowly answered, never removing his gaze from the photo. "It says she just . . . Disappeared after the Homecoming game when she was a junior."

"She was also a cheerleader," Sango added. She was reading the inscription underneath the picture.

It read:

"_Kagome Higurashi was the daughter of the founder of Shikon High School, Yuki Higurashi. She was a respected junior who befriended every student, even the freshmen. She was involved in many activities and clubs, like Art Club, the school newspaper staff, and Cheerleading. On October 2, 1998, the Homecoming football game took place at the Four Souls High School football field. Shikon High won the game, and threw a party to celebrate the victory. Kagome, who also attended the party, left at around midnight to drive home. Unfortunately, she was never seen again. Her car was left unsupervised on the curb of Shikon Park, and there were no traces of her disappearance. Nothing was found. Detectives believe that she has committed suicide, but no one knows for sure. It was heartbreaking news for Shikon High School, but we will always remember Kagome. We love her with all our hearts and thank her for showing kindness to all of her classmates. Thank you, Kagome. We love you._"

Sango lowered the book from her face. "Oh my god," she gasped. It was such a horrible, tragic event. Kagome was only sixteen when she disappeared. Or died . . .

"I feel bad for this girl," Inuyasha solemnly murmured.

"Too bad she's dead," Miroku said. "I so would've dated her."

"Dammit, Miroku!" Sango hissed. "Do you have to ruin everything?"

"Sorry, I was being honest."

"Obviously," Inuyasha scoffed. A soft wind blew, causing his long silver hair to dance in the breeze.

It was the day after the three friends had graduated from high school. They were so relieved to finally be free from educational torture for a while. Inuyasha and Sango had been friends since seventh grade, and befriended Miroku when they were all freshmen.

As a graduation present, Inuyasha's parents had allowed him to spend his summer at their beach house, giving him permission to bring along his friends. They were leaving tomorrow. But there will be other people going to the beach for the summer, too. Like Shippo, a fox demon who was now a sophomore; Kouga and Ayame, an engaged wolf demon couple; And Kikyou, Inuyasha's ex-girlfriend. Kikyou remained friends with the hanyou even after their breakup junior year.

Inuyasha looked up at the blue cloudless sky, wondering how this summer will be different from the others. He wanted a girlfriend. Someone who'd stay by his side no matter what. Someone who loved him even if he was a half demon. Someone who held something unique from the rest of the girls.

"Hey, Inuyasha? Helloooooo? Earth to Dog Boy!"

He snapped back to reality when he saw Sango's hand swishing over his face. "What?" he dumbly asked.

The brunette planted her hands on her hips. "You were spacing out again," she answered. "What are you thinking about now?"

"You should know by now," he said, brushing past her to get to his car. Miroku had already left to eat dinner at home.

"You're still moping over being single?"

He rolled his golden eyes. "Yeah. So?"

Sango sighed. "Inuyasha, you've always been searching for 'the one'. There's not a single girl who fits your description perfectly. Besides, you haven't dated for the whole senior year. Girls like you, dude. They think you're hot, but you turn them down --"

"And what's wrong with wanting the perfect girl?" Inuyasha interrupted. He yanked his car keys out of his jeans pocket.

Sango shook her head. He wasn't getting the point. No girl was perfect. None. "Never mind." She fished out her keys from her purse.

"Anyway," the hanyou broke the silence. They were both fumbling with the metal keys, trying to open their cars. "You all packed for tomorrow?"

"Almost," she honestly answered. "I need to buy more bathing suits."

He raised a black eyebrow. "What, three aren't enough for you?"

Sango glared at him. "I am not going to wear the same bathing suits again and again! Gross!"

He flinched at the demonslayer's shrieks. "Okay, okay. Calm down. I was just asking." He flipped through each key one at a time. There were about ten keys, and he was having a hard time finding the right one. "Why do I have so many damn keys?" he asked aloud.

Sango snorted as she finally managed to unlock her car door.

"I only use two, and I have ten keys," he continued. "In my sleep, did I murder a janitor and steal his keys?"

Sango giggled. "I dunno. Did you?"

He shrugged. "How would I know?"

"I don't know." Sango shut her door and rolled down the window. "I'll see you at your house tomorrow at eight in the morning, okay?"

"Alright," he called back.

"See ya!" Sango backed up and sped away.

Inuyasha finally managed to get his car door open and slipped inside, clutching his yearbook to his side. He slammed the door shut and sat still for a moment. He flipped to the second page and stared at Kagome Higurashi.

Why would such an innocent girl commit suicide? Or why would anyone murder her? She was so nice to everyone in the school, and everyone liked her back. Who did this to her?

Inuyasha thought for a moment. Strangely, he wished that she was alive. Inuyasha Takahashi and Kagome Higurashi. It sounded nice. Of course, the poor miko died, leaving no clues behind to what could've solved the reason for her disappearance.

But she didn't. Even the demon cops with an intensive sense of smell couldn't sniff out anything. Detectives and police officers have been searching for two years for any sign of the schoolgirl. As usual, nothing came up.

Inuyasha stared at the posing teenager for another five minutes. Some people said that she looked kind of like Kikyou. Some said she looked like a goddess. Inuyasha favored with those who claimed that she looked like a goddess. Sango and Miroku sided with the opinion, too. Only an idiot would think that Kagome Higurashi and Kikyou Tama looked similar.

His cell phone shrilled suddenly, breaking him out of his train of thoughts. He flipped it open and put it to where a normal human ear would be. "Hello?"

"INUYASHA TAKAHASHI!!" --He flinched-- "Where are you, young man?! You were supposed to be here an hour ago! I want you to move your little bottom back to the house right now!"

Inuyasha sighed quietly. "Sorry, Mother. I was looking through the yearbook with Sango."

"I don't want excuses! I want you to get home immediately! Your dinner's getting cold, and I am NOT, repeat not, going to hold up the family because you're lollygagging and going goo-goo-ga-ga over a picture of a pretty girl! If I don't see those adorable puppy ears of yours in ten minutes, I will personally hunt you down and drag you home by the ear! Do you hear me?!"

Inuyasha's jaw dropped. Wow, his mother was furious. At least she wasn't cussing. "Okay, Mother."

"Alright. Bye."

"Bye."

He flipped his blood red phone shut and turned the key in the ignition. The last thing he wanted was to be screamed at by Izayoi, his mom. She was only human, but she was quite a scary woman when she was angry.

_Hopefully, _he thought. _This summer will be the best one ever . . . _

**Yay! The first chapter is finished! Remember to R&R and tell me what you think about the idea so far!**


	2. Respite

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha. But I do own two Inuyasha Playstation 2 games!**

**Author's Note: Yay to all of you who reviewed!**

**Ms.Sucker for romance**

**pixelpink**

**MirrorFlower and DarkWind**

**Kitkatka101**

**doggi girl**

**Ishy Carnvajal**

**crazyfroggster8**

**Thanks for commenting! I was relieved when you guys said it had a mysterious feel to it. I didn't think I was very good at mysteries. And some of you think that Kagome is still alive. Who knows? The title isn't called Dead for no reason. Pretty please R&R!!**

**Chapter 2: Respite**

"Oh, Kouga! Can I please go swimming? Pretty please?" Ayame begged her fiancé. The three cars holding the vacationers had finally reached the beach, already crowded with visitors who were staying for only a couple of hours.

Inuyasha rolled his amber eyes and Sango giggled. The look on Kouga's face was getting incredibly annoyed, yet it was hilarious to Sango and Shippo.

Inuyasha popped open the trunk to his car and began unloading the luggage. Shippo had carpooled with him, Miroku, and Sango since he didn't have a driver's license yet. Sango stood beside him and helped him with the bags. Of course, her bags were the heaviest since it was natural for a girl to over pack.

She kicked off her white sandals and let her feet graze the powdered sand. It felt nice to move around after the four-hour drive. She was wearing jean shorts with a tank top, her long brown hair pulled up into a high ponytail.

"Pretty please?" Ayame whined again. Her hands were folded over her chest and she was giving the wolf demon a puppy pout.

"No, Ayame," the black-haired Kouga growled as he reached into the open trunk of his car.

"Pleeeeeeeease?" She tried again.

The hanyou groaned. "Kouga, just say yes already so she can shut up!"

"I agree," Miroku piped up.

"Me, too," Kikyou agreed. She pulled out her suitcases and placed them flat on the ground.

"Fine," Kouga gave in. "But don't flirt with any guys, got it?"

"Oh, darn it," Ayame sarcastically said with a roll of her aquamarine eyes. She yanked off her shorts and T-shirt to reveal a hot pink and white striped bikini. She grabbed a towel from the back of Kouga's car and wrapped it around her waist.

"Don't forget to stretch, dear," Sango imitated Kouga's masculine voice.

"Shut up, Sango," he muttered.

"Yeah, shut up, Sango," Inuyasha added.

"Shut up," Sango mumbled, nudging her hanyou friend in the ribs.

"Why don't all of you shut up?" Shippo suggested.

"Why don't you go jump off a cliff and die?" Sango shot back.

Inuyasha scoffed and shook his head. "Miroku, can you take Sango's bags? They're heavy as hell."

Sango rolled her brown eyes as she slung two duffle bags over one shoulder. "Oh, come on, you wimp. They're not that heavy."

"I'd be delighted to carry Sango's bags," Miroku politely volunteered. He grabbed all four of Sango's suitcases. Just by the looks of them, he had a bad feeling that he was going to get cramps and feel sore.

Inuyasha seized the last four bits of luggage and slammed the trunk shut. He led his friends to the private beach house, which had four bedrooms and three bathrooms. Sango hurried after him, and poor Miroku dragged Sango's bulky personal belongings at the back. Shippo proudly walked by Miroku, holding his two small suitcases, one in each hand.

At the front door, Inuyasha pulled out the key from his shorts pocket and shoved it into the lock. He pushed the front door open to reveal a bright, spacious living room. "Okay, pick rooms on the second floor, guys," he directed.

"I call the blue one!" Sango shouted, dropping the baggage on the ground and sprinting up the stairs.

"No, I want it!" Shippo argued. He raced up the staircase, trying to beat Sango to the wanted bedroom.

Inuyasha chuckled as he heard a crash of bodies on the floor. Sango got really competitive when it came to a race, and she'd do anything she could to win.

Wait . . .

Where was Miroku?

"Miroku?" the hanyou called out. He turned and headed out the doorway, only to crash into Miroku. Miroku let out a small stifled "Gah!" as Sango's luggage tumbled down, crushing his body.

"Dammit, Inuyasha! You dumbass!" Miroku roared. "What the hell is wrong with you?! Watch where you're going before you crash into someone, stupid ass!"

Inuyasha stared down at his friend. "I'm guessing that hurt?"

"No shit, Sherlock!!"

"Dammit!" Shippo growled, fists clenched. "Sango won the room."

The hanyou smirked. "You know Sango. She's really competitive."

The kitsune scowled. "She didn't have to push me down and give me a flippin' rug burn!"

He laughed. "Ha ha, good one, Sango!" the half demon called out.

Shippo glared at the laughing dog hanyou. "Screw you." He noticed Miroku gasping for breath under many suitcases. "Miroku, why are you sleeping under Sango's bags?"

Miroku's breathing staggered. "Why don't you ask this dumbass here?" He glanced at Inuyasha.

Shippo shook his head. "Idiot," he muttered. "You knew those bags were too heavy, but you just had to impress Sango when she's not even interested in you."

The monk groaned. "Will you stop lecturing me and get this crap off me?!"

Inuyasha yanked two bags off of Miroku's chest. Shippo pulled the other two off his legs. Miroku gasped in gulps of air, remaining flat on the ground.

"Wow, Miroku," Inuyasha said, shaking his head. "Even Shippo can lift up those bags."

"Two things." The monk held up two fingers. "One, he's a demon. Two, he only picked up two bags and I had to carry four."

"Whatever," the other two boys scoffed and walked away.

- - -

Finally, he had climbed up two flights of stairs to get to his makeshift room, the attic. Inuyasha sighed and shoved open the door. He hadn't been here for over a year. It looked the same since he left.

The walls were painted a bloody red color along with matching red furniture; A couch, a loveseat, and a grand canopy bed. Thankfully, there was a private bathroom, too. There were simple French doors leading out to a small rounded balcony that overlooked the seashore. His mother, being the type who cared about her children's education, also added a desk along with a bookcase.

The hanyou unpacked his suitcases and stuffed his folded clothes into the drawers of his dresser. He emptied out his toiletries and put them in the cabinet of his bathroom.

Just to get settled in and be comfortable with his surroundings, he plopped down on his soft bed. The red satin blanket felt smooth on his skin, and the mattress was squishy and spongy. How he missed this bed. It always felt more comfortable than his bed back home.

Suddenly, there was a moaning creak on the wooden floorboards. He sat up, alert and ready to fight. There was someone in the room. He didn't know who, but this was a strange aura he was sensing. Without making a single noise, he stood, never letting his guard down.

"BOO!"

Inuyasha nearly fell over in shock. There was Sango rolling on the floor, laughing her head off. She was chuckling so hard and loud, her face was a dark shade of pink.

"Sango . . ." he growled dangerously. His fists clenched tightly at his sides, his teeth gritting together.

I'm . . . sorry . . . Inu . . . Yasha . . ." she laughed out, holding her stomach.

Miroku and Shippo entered the room, a sweat drop forming on their heads as they watched the human girl hoot with laughter.

"I don't really want to know," Shippo stated.

"Me neither," Miroku agreed. To Inuyasha, "Hey, everyone's going out to swim. Are you going?"

_I'd rather take a nap, _he mentally answered.

The half demon shrugged. "Sure. Let's go." He grabbed his towel and led his housemates and a laughing Sango out of the house to the beach.

_Seriously, what in the world could make this summer unforgettable??_


	3. Angel

**Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.**

**Author's Note: Thanks for those of you who reviewed! You guys are the reason I keep updating. **

****

crazyfroggster8

MirrorFlower and DarkWind

moonlightshadow123

Ms.Sucker for romance

**Everyone else . . . PLEASE REVIEW!!**

**Angel**

Inuyasha was exhausted. He had spent the whole day swimming and playing volleyball. Most of the time, he was in the water with Sango, laughing at how she squealed whenever her bare feet made contact with the slimy seaweed littering the ocean floor. They raced each other, played Marco Polo, swam around without touching the ground, and held their breath as long as they could underwater.

He, Shippo, Miroku, and Sango have all arrived at the beach house at around seven o'clock. They bathed one at a time in the bathrooms, which took about an hour, mostly thanks to Shippo's long bubble bath. Then, Inuyasha ordered pizza for everyone to eat for dinner. The rest of the night consisted of playing video games with his housemates.

Sango had retired to bed around ten minutes until midnight, bidding Inuyasha a good night. She was only human, so it was normal for her limbs to be sore and feel weak.

So, now it was midnight. Stars strewn across the velvet black sky, twinkling brightly. Inuyasha lugged himself up two flights of stairs to get to his little bedroom, the attic. It was peaceful and roomy, just the way he liked his room.

He pushed open the door, shut the door quietly, and flipped the light switch on. What he saw made his breath caught in his throat. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. What was _she_ doing here?

There she was. Sprawled across the burgundy couch, one hand splayed over her stomach and the other hanging loosely off of the couch. She was clothed in a cherry red and pearly white cheerleading uniform, which brought out her pale snow white skin. Two matching pompoms were thrown on the wooden floor, not too far from her hand. Her loose raven hair framed her ashen, colorless face. Ginger irises slowly opened to meet his amber eyes.

She unhurriedly sat up, never removing her deep russet eyes from the hanyou staring at her. She stood and clasped her hands in front of her. Her head lowered, her uneven bangs shadowing the attractive brown color of her large eyes. It looked as if she felt defeated, caught like a fugitive that committed a serious crime.

"You . . ." he stuttered. "Y--You're . . ."

She smiled softly. "I see you're surprised," she whispered, her angelic voice smooth like velvet.

"You're . . . Kagome?" he stammered, still in the state of shock.

She nodded.

"But . . . How . . . Where . . . What . . . ?"

"Are you going to be finishing any of your sentences?" she joked, the little smile still tugging at the corners of her mouth.

"I thought you were dead," he clarified, embarrassed for sounding like a fool around her. He swallowed the huge lump in his throat.

She inhaled deeply. "I am dead," she stated.

What?

Inuyasha had no clue what was going on. This girl, who looked like an exact replica of Kagome Higurashi in the yearbook, is standing right in front of him, claiming that she is dead? God, he was going to need some aspirin after this . . .

Kagome smiled weakly. "You're confused. I can tell."

"Who wouldn't be?" he countered.

"I know. I was, too. But then, I found out what exactly happened to me." She sat back down on the sofa. She caught a glimpse of his confused expression. "You may ask questions if you'd like."

"O--Okay." He swallowed the nervous lump in his throat again. "How do you still look sixteen if you died ten years ago?"

She sighed sadly. "Well, it's a long story. Have you heard of the legend of the sacred Shikon Jewel?"

He nodded. Every school year, the school staff held an assembly to tell the legend of the Shikon Jewel. "It was created by a miko named Midoriko and is said to hold great spiritual power."

She nodded in agreement. "Correct." She looked up at him. "So, do you want to hear my story?"

"I'm sure a lot of people would like to," he replied. "Like maybe your family . . ."

Her hazel eyes widened with fear. "No! You can't tell anyone about me!" She rose and was in front of him in a flash. He backed up a bit, startled by her speed. "If anybody finds out about me, they'll report me to the police. Then, they'll interrogate me with questions about where I went and how I still look like this!" She grasped his warm hands in her frigid pale hands, staring into his molten gold eyes. "You have to promise me that you won't tell anyone. Promise?"

Inuyasha couldn't believe all of this was happening to him. This zombie chick who's been missing for ten years is . . . Holding his hand? But those eyes. They were pleading, begging. She looked as if she was about to cry any second now.

He squeezed her hand in reassurance. "Alright. I promise."

She smiled brightly and released his hand. "Okay, I'll tell you what happened." She seated herself on the armrest of the sofa before narrating. "On October 2, 1998, there was the Homecoming football game, and I had to go since I was a cheerleader. Before I left, my mother gave me the family heirloom, the Shikon Jewel. I tied it around my neck and tucked it under my shirt. Then, I went to the game. We won, and threw a big party. I decided to leave early because I was tired. I stopped at the park to rest a bit and look at the Tree of Ages. I looked at my watch, and it was exactly midnight.

"All of a sudden, I was attacked. A demon struck me in the back with its claws and he caused me serious injury. It must've been after the Sacred Shikon Jewel. Then, everything went black. Luckily, my hand was touching the Tree of Ages. Somehow, I was brought back to life just as the demon was reaching for the jewel. I was able to purify it, and kill it.

"I knew that I couldn't come home with such an injury. No ordinary human could survive a wound so great. And the police was already coming. So . . . I ran away. I didn't want all the attention or the questions. I knew that everyone will be upset about my disappearing, but I didn't really have a choice.

"So I ran and ran, not stopping for anything until I came here. I had a feeling someone owned this house, but I stayed here. It was the only safe place I could find. I didn't need food or water, but I was lonely. Imagine being locked up in a house for ten years without a friend." She sighed miserably, concluding her depressing tale.

Inuyasha had listened attentively to the story from start to finish. _Wow, this girl had it tough, _he thought, feeling pity for the girl. If the police had found her when she was resurrected, then they would know it was the Tree of Ages that revived her, and many selfish people would want eternal life. The half demon thought that she had made the right choice, but she suffered a lonely life afterwards.

She stood up and headed to the door. "But I guess you don't want me here," she added quietly. "I'll just leave. I don't belong here anyway."

Before she could take another step to grasp the brass doorknob, Inuyasha grabbed her arm. "You're not going anywhere," he growled.

She tried to pry his hand off her cold arm, but to no avail. "I don't belong in this place. I'm a horrible intruder who just decided to call this place her own. You should be angry at me for that."

Was this girl stupid? She was just going to blurt out her secret, then run away like a coward?

"Okay, let me tell you something," he said flatly in a low voice. "You just told me your secret. You also told me that you were lonely for the past ten years. Do you want to be alone again?"

She gave him a confused look. "Where are you going with this?"

Just like that; He lost his courage. He shyly stared the wooden floorboards. "I'll be your friend," he murmured.

Kagome held her breath, then smiled. "You'll be my friend?" she repeated.

"If you want."

Her smile widened. "Yes!" she happily whispered as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

Inuyasha, taken aback by surprise, hugged her back.

_Wow, _he thought. _I wanted a normal girlfriend, but I guess a hot zombie will do, too._

She broke the hug and skipped back to the couch, plopping on the soft cushions. "So," she said. "I'm guessing you're kind of tired."

"You guessed right," he said. He strode to the corner of the room, where his bed was located.

She giggled cutely. "How many friends did you bring?" she curiously questioned.

"Three are downstairs and three more are in another beach house half a mile away." He pulled the blanket back and crawled under it. He lay on the mattress, hands under his head.

"So, I guess I should stay up here, huh?"

He opened his eyes and stared at her. She was sitting casually on the armrest of the couch, smiling at him.

"It'd be a good idea," he answered. "One of the guys down there is a pervert."

She raised an eyebrow. "Really?" she asked.

The hanyou nodded. "He even said, 'Too bad she's dead. I so would've dated her'."

Kagome giggled again. "Okay then. What about the others?"

"The girl, Sango, she thinks you're so beautiful. Every time I see her, she's staring at your picture in the yearbook."

She frowned. "My picture's in the yearbook?"

He nodded. "You didn't know?"

She shook her head. "No. Never knew."

He reached for the book on his nightstand and held it out. "Look for yourself."

She hopped off the couch and strolled to his bed. She sat by his feet and carefully paged through the book. She saw her photo on the second page and stared. She read the inscription and observed the snapshot. Her lips were pressed together in a thoughtful manner and her eyes blinked every couple of seconds as she stared intently.

The hanyou watched her. "You can say that you were famous in the schools. Even the kindergartners know who you are and what you did," he supplied, filling her in.

She looked up at him. "What I . . . did?" she slowly asked with uncertainty.

"The way you made friends with everyone you met."

"Oh." She nodded. She gazed at the picture once more before closing the book gently and handing it back to the half demon. "I didn't know I was so famous," she whispered, staring down at her hands. She was on the verge of tears, salty moisture brimming her chocolate eyes.

"Kagome . . ." he murmured.

She gave him a watery smile. "Well, you should get some sleep now. I'll be fine." She stood and flipped the light switch off before he could retort. "Good night," she spoke softly.

"Good night."

Inuyasha tucked himself in and gazed off into the darkness. He could see Kagome's silhouette gracefully move over to the couch, then disappear as she lay down.

Now he knew for sure that _this_ was the summer he'd never forget.


	4. Sealed Lips

**Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.**

**Sealed Lips**

The seagulls lazily flew over the lolling waves of the sparkling blue ocean. The waters washed over the powdery sand of the coast. The warm eight o'clock sun hung over the surface, casting lukewarm sunshine. Everything seemed peaceful and tranquil until . . .

"MIROKU!!"

Inuyasha jolted awake, sitting up abruptly. He was in the middle of the most wonderful dream until Miroku just _had_ to pull a stunt.

"MIROKU YOU BETTER GET OUT!!" Sango literally roared.

He heard the pounding of angry footsteps and heavy objects being thrown at the wall. Then, a tremendous, painful slap echoed throughout the beach house. The hanyou flinched at the noise. He had no clue how the monk always managed to regain consciousness after being slapped by the mighty Sango.

Inuyasha glanced around the attic. It was empty.

Was last night a dream? Was the zombie Kagome Higurashi really in his room last night?

The idea itself sounded stupid. He could still feel the wintry touch of her hand, and remember the gorgeous hazel eyes that stared deeply into his own.

"Is this like your personal alarm clock or something?"

The hanyou almost fell over at the smooth feminine voice. He looked up to see Kagome coming in through the French doors from the balcony. She was still in her cheerleading apparel, long white legs bare and slender and the same sweet smile on her pale face.

"Every morning," he sleepily answered, trying to conceal his excitement.

She stifled a giggle behind the back of her hand. The zombie girl stalked over to the door and pressed her ear against the closed door only to hear screams and nervous chuckles.

Inuyasha shoved his bedspread off his body and stood up to stretch. "Ow, my ribs hurt," he muttered, rubbing his stomach.

Kagome turned, smiling. "From getting up?"

"Yeah."

She laughed lightly. "I call them Sleepy Sit-ups."

"They hurt a lot when those two wake you up."

"Word."

They laughed in unison. 'Word' was such an old expression to teenagers nowadays.

Inuyasha went in the bathroom to wash his face until there was a knock on the door.

"Hey, Inuyasha!" Miroku called from outside the room. "You awake?"

The said hanyou sprinted out of the lavatory and looked at Kagome. She put a finger to her lips and slipped out to the balcony, shutting the doors quietly behind her. Inuyasha had no clue what she was doing, but he opened the door to reveal a monk with a glowing red handprint on his cheek.

"Oh, I thought you were asleep," Miroku said.

"Not with all that screaming going on," the half demon snapped.

Miroku brushed past his tired friend and leaned against the armrest of the couch. "But it was worth it. Seeing Sango in only a towel just made my day." His lips formed a perverted grin.

"You are such a stupid lecher, I swear," Inuyasha grumbled.

"I do what I can." Miroku stared at the silver-haired hanyou.

Inuyasha felt uncomfortable under the suspicious violet gaze. "What?" he asked uncertainly.

"You seem different," the monk stated slowly, narrowing his eyes. "What exactly did you and Sango do last night?"

The hanyou threw a punch at Miroku's head, leaving a bump on top of his skull.

"You dumbass!" he shouted. "Get out!"

Ignoring him, Miroku pushed himself away from the sofa and headed for the balcony. Inuyasha's golden eyes widened.

_Kagome's out there! _he thought. "Miroku, wait a second!"

But he was too late.

Miroku opened the French doors and stepped outside. "What's with you, man?" He leaned against the railing, arms crossed.

Inuyasha paused at the doorway. Where was Kagome? She wasn't out on the balcony, or on the sturdy roof. He looked all around the platform, but the zombie cheerleader was nowhere in sight.

Miroku followed his friend's gaze. "What are you looking at?" he questioned.

The half demon snapped out of his trance and put on a stern face. "Nothing," he lied. "Get out."

The monk sighed. "You may have woken up on the wrong side of the bed, my friend," he dramatically said.

"No, you just woke me up early, asshole." Inuyasha crossed his arms.

Miroku shrugged and wordlessly walked out of the room, shutting the door behind him.

The silver-haired man glanced around in wonder. Where on Earth did Kagome go?

- - -

Warm waters slowly crept over the dark brown sand, falling back after reaching its limit. The fine silt was smooth with small pebbles dotting the surface.

A rocky cliff overlooked the beach, a perfect place to go cliff-diving into the blue water. Just underneath the face of the precipice was a shaded cove.

The stone walls were coarse with its dusty brown granite. Powdered sand served as a soft carpet on the ground. A long piece of driftwood served as a natural bench.

On the wood sat a raven-haired cheerleader who had been missing for ten years. She was very thankful that the beach house was not too far from the bay. The small cove was approximately the size of a bedroom, and the only person who knew the whereabouts of it was the one and only Kagome Higurashi.

Usually, she came here to think and organize her cluttered thoughts. Sometimes, she'd fall asleep on the lukewarm sand by the driftwood. Now she was hiding. Why? She had just blurted out her deepest secret to a half demon.

Why did she do that? Why didn't she hide here instead of staying there?

_Inuyasha, _she thought. _Why does that name sound so familiar?_

He was about eight years old when she had disappeared, but she'd never laid eyes on a silver-haired demon, let alone a half demon.

A footstep in the sand caught her attention. The sound came from outside the cove. But whoever the person was, they wouldn't see the cave entrance because it was completely blended in with the rest of the coal black rocky walls.

She had a feeling that the mysterious character was Inuyasha. She knew that there was an unlikely possibility that he'd sniff her out. Her scent smelled of the salty ocean and the small grains of sand.

Kagome unwillingly edged towards the hidden doorway and peeped around it.

It was Inuyasha all right. But it didn't look like he was searching for her. He was staring out into the sea, his large eyes glaring against the blinding sunshine. The humid ocean breeze caused his long pallid hair to gently dance. He was still wearing his big white T-shirt and red sweats and his feet were bare. He looked as if he were mulling things over, lost in thought.

She watched him, and he watched the waves. Something about him made her want to hold him in her arms. He had the amber irises that held unwanted loneliness and sadness.

_Oh no. _Kagome felt her heart pumping rapidly. _Could it be possible that I . . . love Inuyasha?_

**Sorry this chappie was kinda short. Things are starting to get interesting with Kagome and Inuyasha, eh? Well, until next time I update, review please!**


	5. Freedom

**Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.**

**Author's Note: I'm soooooo sorry for not updating any of my stories! My Internet is being so weird. Sometime's it works, sometimes it doesn't. I don't know why it does that. The other reason is that damn Writer's Block. If you have any suggestions for future chapters, please send me a message or write it in your review. Thank you! So, again, I'm really sorry for the waiting time. Here's Chapter 5!**

**Freedom**

The attic. She was sitting on the red sofa in the attic again. For all she knew, he was going to come back. She wondered why he went outside just to watch the waves wash over the shore. It was so unlike him to do something calm and soothing like that. Was there another side of him that she didn't know about? A passionate aspect, perhaps?

Sango sighed out of boredom. Miroku had put her in a bad mood this morning when he spotted her in only a towel, and only Inuyasha could cheer her up.

But something about him seemed different. This room felt altered, too. Like someone else was in here besides Inuyasha. She took a whiff of the air. No sweaty sex scent. Just plain old attic and inu-hanyou smells.

The wooden door creaked open slowly. She whirled her head towards it so fast she could've gotten whiplash.

"What are you doing here?" Inuyasha questioned.

Sango folded her hands over her lap. "I'm sad and angry at the same time." She pouted.

"I know," he bluntly said. "I woke up because of it."

The brunette chuckled nervously. "Um, yeah, sorry about that." She watched him quietly sit down on the edge of his bed, bangs shadowing his eyes. "Is something wrong?" she timidly asked.

He shook his head. "Nah, just tired."

"I'll . . ." Sango stood and headed for the door. "Leave you alone, I guess." She closed the door and headed downstairs without waiting for a reply.

Inuyasha's head dropped between his knees with a sigh. Truthfully, he was thinking about how just one girl completely turned his life around. She was a famous dead cheerleader, damn it! How can he act normal after meeting her?

Speak of the devil, here she is.

Inuyasha lifted his head to meet the gently waving black hair of the girl he was thinking about. She was standing by the French doors of the balcony, gentle hands grasping the brass handles to close the double doors.

"Hey," he murmured.

She turned swiftly, glossy raven hair swaying gracefully over her shoulder. She must've forgotten his demonic senses of smell and hearing. "Um, hello," she nervously greeted, resuming to silently closing the glass doors. "Aren't you going to ask me where I've been?" She sat next to him.

He stared straight ahead at the normal wooden door through bored, half-lidded eyes. "No."

She held her breath as she stared at his high cheekbone. Something about him has changed. Yesterday afternoon, he was all happy and energetic. Around her, he seemed cautious.

"Hey," Kagome said.

Without moving his head, he looked at her out of the corner of his eye. "Yeah?" he prompted.

"How about I, you know, meet your friends?"

He jerked his head towards her. "Are you nuts?!"

She frowned. "No, I'm not a peanut!" She obviously still had no clue about modern language.

"No, I mean, are you crazy? My friends would freak out if they saw a zombie cheerleader!" He mentally thanked his father for making the walls soundproof.

Kagome sighed. "Listen carefully, okay? I want to meet them, but not as myself."

He raised an eyebrow. "I don't get it."

"What I'm saying is maybe I can meet them in a disguise, you know?"

Inuyasha nodded slowly. "And how do you expect me to find a disguise for you?" he asked.

Kagome sighed and rolled her brown eyes. "Buy me something!"

The hanyou stood up and turned to face her. "Okay, let's focus on reality here. I'm in a souvenir shop, buying a very pretty little sundress in front of all my friends. That afternoon, you come in the exact same dress." He made a circular motion with his hands to ask Kagome if she got it.

She shrugged. "What's the problem with that?"

He slapped his forehead, and let his hand slowly slide down his face. "It's very suspicious to people nowadays," he said.

"Oh, you could've said that instead." She crossed her arms, flopping backwards on the bed. "So, what can we do?"

Inuyasha went to his dresser and pulled out his smallest T-shirt and jeans. "Here, try these on," he suggested, throwing the apparel to her.

She stared at the clothes with a puzzled expression, but shrugged it off. She nodded, and went into the bathroom to change.

The half demon sat down on the sofa. He'd much rather walk around with Kagome Higurashi than her disguise. Then again, if she were still alive, she'd be eight years older than him, most likely married. She was as close to perfect as perfect can get. The only problem was that she was kind of sort of dead and would never age.

"It's kind of baggy, but I think I can manage."

He looked up to see Kagome wearing his clothes, turning around to model the outfit for him. She looked like one of those skater girls.

"Yup, you look good," he declared.

She smiled at him.

"Now," he said as he went behind her to get a hair tie. He handed it to her. "Tie your hair up."

She took the white band and bunched all her hair up into a messy ponytail. "How's this?" she asked.

"You're almost done." He went to his dresser and picked up his black sunglasses that he rarely used.

Kagome took the glasses and put them on. She hadn't worn sunglasses before, and she flinched a little at how dark it suddenly became. "Why is it so dark?" she asked like a curious young girl.

"They're used to block the sun," he answered. He took a step back and looked her up and down. "That's good. Let's go."

She took a step forward, only to bump into the bedpost and nearly trip. He caught her by the waist, catching her before she hit the ground.

She quickly straightened herself up. "Um, is it okay if I _don't _wear these?" she asked, removing the glasses.

"Yeah. We don't want you crashing into everyone and knocking them down." He headed for the balcony.

"That'd be kind of . . . Um . . . What's the word? Whack?" Kagome was trying to sound as modern as she could.

Inuyasha stared at her. "Um, sure . . ."

She cocked her head. "Do people say that nowadays?"

He shook his head, feathery silver bangs swaying above his smooth forehead. "No. Not really."

"So, what do they say?"

"Bad. Or retarded."

"Ah." The zombie girl nodded in understanding.

With that problem solved, both teens climbed down from the balcony. They knew it'd be very awkward to have an anonymous girl climb downstairs from Inuyasha's bedroom, so sneaking out was the best option.

- - -

"See anything you like?" Inuyasha asked as he led Kagome into a clothing shop. They headed into the women's section, where several other young women criticized random articles of clothing with their best friends.

"Oh my goodness!" Kagome gasped as she grabbed a swimsuit hanging from a plastic hanger. "This is so revealing! Who'd wear this in public?"

The half demon sweat dropped. "Um, Kagome, that's a bikini. You swim in that."

"I see." She nodded. "But this is basically a thong!"

He clamped a hand over her mouth. "Shut up. You're too loud," he growled.

She nodded, letting out a whine that sounded like a puppy. She pried his hand from her mouth, gasping for breath. "Oh, I can't breathe," she panted. She glared at the hanyou. "Don't do that again!"

"Don't be so loud," he retorted with a roll of his golden eyes.

She searched through the circular rack of clothes and found a gorgeous sapphire blue sundress with spaghetti straps. She glanced at the price tag. Fifty dollars. Kagome bit her lip.

"Did you find something?" Inuyasha asked from beside her.

"No!" she lied, releasing the dress.

He raised an eyebrow, but reached for the swinging dress. He pinched the material between his clawed fingers. "You want this?"

"No! Absolutely not!" she lied again, laughing nervously.

"You're lying."

"No, I'm not!"

He narrowed his eyes.

Kagome sighed in defeat. "Okay, I am lying. But that's so expensive! I don't want to waste too much of your money."

"Kagome," he sighed as he lifted the dress out from the rack. "My dad's a well-known billionaire. Fifty bucks is nothing compared to a billion."

She tilted her head in confusion again. "Um, fifty bucks? Do you mean male deer? Is that the modern currency?" she asked.

"No. Buck is another way to say dollar."

She sighed loudly. "At this rate, I'll need you to teach me modern language," she quietly said, resuming to browse through the racks of outfits. She pulled out a few more dresses of assorted colors and handed them to her escort. "Can I try these on?" she begged.

"Yeah," he said. Inuyasha walked to the women's dressing rooms, counting the amount of clothes along the way. "Here," he said as he handed the clothes to her. "When the lady asks you 'how many', just say eleven, okay?"

She looked up at him. "You're not going with me?" she asked.

Inuyasha thought that Kagome looked like she was on the verge of tears. "No," he answered, shaking his head. "Guys aren't allowed."

She let out a deep sigh, as if contemplating whether or not to try on the dresses.

He scoffed. "Oh, come on. It's not like you're going to go cliff-diving."

She giggled. "I know. But I've never been out in public by myself. It's a little . . . nerve-wracking," she explained.

"You'll be fine," he reassured her.

She nodded and headed to the counter, where a woman in her mid-twenties was standing, folding up clothes.

"How many, Miss?" she politely asked. Her brass nametag read Suzuna.

"Um, eleven," Kagome answered in a very feminine voice.

_Wow, did I sound girlier over the past ten years or something? _she wondered as Suzuna nodded and pulled out a plastic card with a large hole in it and the number '11' written on it in bold font.

"Right this way," Suzuna said, walking down a narrow hall that twisted and turned a few times until there was a long hallway with dressing rooms lining both sides. The sounds of clothes being moved around and plastic hangers clinking on the metal hooks filled the bright room. Suzuna let her hand drag over the doors as she passed them until one door swung inwards. "You may use this one," she told Kagome as she hung the card on the latch.

"Thank you," Kagome said. She went inside the small room. There was a bench that lined one side of the square dressing room with four hooks hanging from the walls. A full-length mirror hung on the door. Kagome hung her dresses on the hooks and started undressing to try on the colorful garbs.

- - -

Inuyasha flipped open his cell phone, checked the time, then snapped it shut. It had been ten minutes since Kagome went in the dressing rooms. He hoped she wasn't struggling with opening the door or anything else stupid.

His phone played a quick little tone, signaling a text message. He opened it and read the message from Sango.

'_Hey, where r u??__**'**_

He had no clue how to reply to that. Well, sooner or later, he'll think of something. Right now, Kagome just came out.

"Did anything fit, Miss?" he heard the lady at the counter asked.

"Oh, these six didn't fit," Kagome replied, hanging them on a rack behind the woman.

The woman thanked her and smiled.

Kagome smiled back. It took her a moment before she spotted Inuyasha and came bounding toward him.

"What took you so long?" he demanded. He truly was curious.

She fanned her pink face with her hand. "I'm sorry, Inuyasha. I was getting claustrophobic!" she panted out.

"Looks like it. Your face is all pink and your hair's messed up." Inuyasha took the clothes from her.

"Can we go now?" she whispered.

"Yeah, let me pay for these," he said.

"I'll stand outside so that I can cool off," Kagome said. She took off after receiving a nod from the hanyou.

- - -

Kagome sat down on the wooden bench just outside the store. The frigid soda machines beside her felt very relaxing on her hot skin. Inuyasha was being a real gentleman to her, and she really appreciated that.

During her childhood, when she was alive for real, guys only asked her out to gain popularity. They never treated her with respect, and they only acted gushy to her when they were around friends. It was sickening and disgusting, especially if you're the one being used.

"Hey, baby!"

Kagome looked up and saw a boy with long black hair that twisted in an unattractive fashion. His red eyes flashed in the sunlight and a flirty smirk spread over his face.

"Um, excuse me," she said. "But I am not your 'baby'. Please go."

"Aw, come on, babe," he said, sitting next to her. "Don't be like that."

"I have no knowledge of who you are," she tried again to make him walk away, but he only scooted close to her so that their thighs were pressed together.

"Would you like to get to know me?" he seductively asked. He slipped an arm around her shoulders.

His body odor made Kagome flinch in disgust. This man was in desperate need of lotion _and_ deodorant. "Not really," she muttered, shrugging his arm off her.

"I want to know you," the boy huskily whispered. He leaned in closer and closer until he was nose to nose with her.

"Hey!"

The guy and Kagome looked up to see a scowling Inuyasha glaring at the male, arms crossed with a bag in his hand.

"Get away from her," Inuyasha muttered dangerously.

The boy smirked.

Before he could taunt the half demon, Kagome firmly rose from the bench. "I am sorry, but I am with somebody already. So I'd really appreciate it if you walk away wordlessly. Also, I'd like to recommend something to improve your body odor. That'd be nice, too," Kagome calmly stated as she walked towards Inuyasha.

The boy only gaped at her as she gently clasped her hand on Inuyasha's elbow and walked away from the market.

Inuyasha looked over his shoulder at the dumbfounded guy. "Wow, you really burned him," he told Kagome.

She shot him a weird look. "I didn't toss him in a fire pit," she said in a quiet, yet confused, tone. "Although I sure wish I had."

"No, I meant you left him dumbfounded."

"Oh." She waved a hand carelessly. "That boy needed to learn not to flirt with the first girl he lays his small eyes on. And my prescription for deodorant was very logical, if I do say so myself. His odor was so nauseating that it made me flinch in disgust. I could've collapsed if I remained next to him any longer."

The half demon traded the plastic bag in his hands. "Yeah, but I think he was also surprised about your, um, extended vocabulary," he added.

Kagome shrugged. "Well, it's not my fault that modern language is so discrete from ten years ago," she bluntly said. "And if he couldn't understand a single word that came out of my mouth, then he needs to attend some special English classes or read a dictionary."

Inuyasha raised an eyebrow. "Read a dictionary?" he repeated. "Nobody does that anymore unless they're weird."

"Well, call me weird or an oddball if you must, but I did that while I was hiding in your beach house," she casually informed him, tucking a loose strand of black hair behind her ear. "You have very few books in your house, you know that?"

He smiled. "My family's not much of the reading type."

She made an impression of a goldfish, opening and closing her mouth. Finally able to speak, she asked, "There's _types_ of families now?"

He chuckled. "You take things _way_ too seriously. You act like I just said that you are fat like a sumo-wrestler."

"The word 'type' actually shocked me," she argued. "I mean, type means a category or kind of thing, and . . ." Her voice drifted off, her hand hovering in midair. She started staring off into space.

"Let me guess," Inuyasha smugly said. "You looked that up in the dictionary?"

"Yes, but I summarized the definition in my own words. Paraphrased it, if you will."

_She talks so old-school, but she is so hot, _Inuyasha thought, watching the way her ponytail gently swished back and forth as she walked next to him. Maybe, just maybe, she was the perfect girl.

Suddenly, Kagome stopped in her tracks. "Oh no," she whispered in a dead voice.

"What? What's wrong?" Inuyasha hurriedly asked, watching her with caution.

"I just realized something," she said slowly. She turned her head to look at him. "I don't know how to swim."

The hanyou sweat dropped.

_This might be harder than I thought . . ._


End file.
